USC quarterback Cody Kessler looks for a receiver during Saturday's game against Colorado in Boulder, Colo.

Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau, right, pitches the ball to a running back as Southern California linebacker Devon Kennard covers in the first quarter in Boulder.

Southern California wide receiver Nelson Agholor, right, fails to pull in a pass as Colorado defensive back Kenneth Crawley covers in the first quarter in Boulder.

Southern California special teams player Leon McQuay III, left, congratulates teammate Soma Vainuku after Vainuku blocked a Colorado punt for a safety in the first quarter in Boulder.

The ball flies back into the end zone for a safety after Southern California special teams player Soma Vainuku, left, blocks a punt by Colorado punter Darragh O'Neill, center, as Southern California's Charles Burks covers in the first quarter in Boulder.

USC coach Ed Ogeron, left, confers with linebacker Devon Kennard while facing Colorado in the first quarter in Boulder.

USC tailback Javorius Allen, right, dives into the end zone for a touchdown as Colorado defensive back Jered Bell, center, and USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor look on in the first quarter in Boulder.

USC r Running back Javorius Allen rushes against the Colorado Buffaloes in Boulder.

USC tight end Xavier Grimble makes a first down reception and is tackled by Colorado linebacker Derrick Webb.

Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau, right, evades the rush of Southern California linebacker Hayes Pullard in the first quarter in Boulder.

BOULDER, Colo. – USC won’t be playing in the Rose Bowl, but now it’s time for the battle of Los Angeles, the Revenge Bowl and, quite possibly, the “Coach O Bowl.’’

As expected, the Trojans dismissed Colorado with relative ease Saturday night with a 47-29 victory in front of 36,005 at Folsom Field. At the same time, the Trojans lost, because Arizona State’s victory over UCLA eliminated the chance that USC might advance to the Pac-12 championship game in two weeks.

If the Trojans were disappointed, they hid it well. Before the band had finished playing the fight song for the final time postgame, USC players had turned their attention to avenging last year’s loss to UCLA.

“It makes the game next week all the more personal for us,’’ Bailey said.

USC tailback Javorius Allen had 21 carries for 145 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Cody Kessler completed 19 of 28 attempts for 184 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Trojans (9-3, 6-2) have won six of their seven games since interim coach Ed Orgeron replaced Lane Kiffin, and if USC beats UCLA and reaches the 10-win plateau, it might be difficult for Athletic Director Pat Haden to sell USC fans and boosters on the idea that Orgeron doesn’t deserve the job.

USC passed its tune-up test with relative ease. Any concerns that the Trojans be soft against the Buffaloes (4-7, 1-7), with kickoff temperature at 29 degrees, vanished quickly.

The Trojans took a 23-0 halftime lead and led 37-7 early in the fourth quarter before Colorado made the game seem respectable against USC’s second-string defense.

“We could easily have had a letup,’’ Kessler said, “and came out and already thought the game was over, but we kept fighting and we played hard.’’

The big plays came on defense and special teams. Late in the first quarter, Soma Vainuku blocked his third punt of the season. The ball bounced out of the end zone for a safety, and USC took a 9-0 lead.

Then, after a USC punt midway through the second quarter, defensive end Leonard Williams sacked quarterback Sefo Liufau and forced a fumble. George Uko recovered at the Colorado 20, and five plays later, Allen’s 1-yard touchdown run gave USC a 16-0 lead.

Rich Hammond was a high school senior when the Rams left town in 1995, and now he's their beat writer for the Southern California News Group. A native of L.A., Rich broke in at the Daily Breeze as a college freshman and also has covered USC, the Kings, the Lakers and the Dodgers. He still loves sports and telling stories. Don't take the sarcastic tweets too seriously.

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